Zeta re-strengthens to a hurricane, takes aim at Gulf Coast

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zeta re-strengthened into a hurricane early Wednesday as Louisiana braced for the 27th named storm of a historically busy Atlantic hurricane season.

Landfall is expected south of New Orleans with life-threatening storm surge and strong winds expected along portions of the northern Gulf Coast beginning around midday.

The city has been housing evacuees from earlier storms that hit the state and many of the evacuees are on edge.

New Orleans officials are working to make sure there is enough electricity to run the city’s aging drainage pumps after a generating turbine recently broke down.

Officials noted that Zeta is expected to be a relatively fast-moving storm, possibly mitigating the flood threat.